Notre Dame doesn’t answer field goal, punts
The Fighting Irish went 24 yards in eight plays, but punted after failing to pick a first down on 3rd-and-10 near midfield.
Penn State’s pass rush is becoming an issue. Riley Leonard doesn’t have a lot of time to throw, hence plays like a bubble screen on the most recent third down. Notre Dame is going to have to come up with some answers in the passing game.
The Nittany Lions now take over from their own 10 with a 3-0 lead.
Penn State settles for field goal to take the lead
After a dropped pass on 3rd-and-goal, the Nittany Lions kicked a very short field goal to take a 3-0 lead.
Penn State is on the board first, but not going for it on 4th-and-goal from the 3-yard line is a decision that will loom over this game for at least a little while.
End of first: Notre Dame 0, Penn State 0
We’re tied at zero after 15 minutes, though Penn State is driving deep into Notre Dame territory.
The Nittany Lions are on the 1-yard line after 12 plays, which included a 4th-and-2 conversion from the 37. Penn State nearly turned the ball over via interception, but Drew Allar’s bad pass was bailed out by a holding penalty.
It will be 3rd-and-goal when the second quarter begins.
Interception, Penn State!
Riley Leonard tried to throw deep over the middle on 3rd-and-12, but he overthrew his intended target and was picked off Zakee Wheatley.
That’s our first turnover of the night. Penn State will take over on its own 42, its best field position of the night.
Another punt for Penn State
The Nittany Lions did good to get out of the shadow of their own end zone, but Drew Allar threw incomplete on 3rd-and-5 from the Penn State 20, and the Nittany Lions punted after only six plays.
Notre Dame now takes over on its own 35 in a scoreless game.
Fighting Irish respond with a punt of their own
Notre Dame punted after picking up 48 yards in eight plays, including a nice 32-yard pass to Mitch Evans on a 3rd-and-7 from the 25. But the Fighting Irish stalled out after getting into Penn State territory.
The Nittany Lions will take over on their own 2-yard line after an ill-advised fair catch.
Nittany Lions punt after five plays
Penn State picked up 31 yards on its opening drive, but a procedural penalty on 3rd-and-9 from the Notre Dame 45 created a 3rd-and-14 the offense couldn’t pick up.
The Fighting Irish will take over for their first drive from their own 10.
We’re off!
The first College Football Playoff semifinal is underway! Penn State has the ball first, and their first play from scrimmage was a toss for six yards.
Moments away
The national anthem is being sung and the Orange Bowl is moments away between Notre Dame and Penn State.
Takeaways will be major
Notre Dame has built the nation’s second-ranked defense — allowing just 13.6 points per game — behind an ability to force turnovers. They have 18 more turnovers forced than given up, a margin that ranks third in the country.
Penn State ranks 21st nationally in turnover margin. It has forced seven takeaways in its two College Football Playoff victories so far — three interceptions against SMU, followed by a fumble and three more interceptions against Boise State.